Human Rights in Papua

The Biak Massacre Citizens Tribunal

On 01 August 2017, Yulianus Pigai (27 years) was shot dead and ten other indigenous Papuans were seriously injured by bullets after members of a local mobile police brigade unit had opened fire at a crowd of villagers in Oneibo, a small village located in the Tigi District of Deiyai Regency. Five of the injured victims were minors. 51-year-old Martinus Pekey died in his house due to shock as he witnessed the shooting in his house. Human rights defenders reported that the police officers allegedly released indiscriminate shots at a group of Oneibo villagers using live ammunition in an attempt to forcefully disperse the crowd. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has launched a urgent action on the case. More in formation on the letter campaign is available here.

Prior to the shooting a villager named Kasianus Douw had almost drown in the Oneibo river as he was catching fish in the early morning hours. When three other villagers asked a construction worker of the PT. Dewa Krisna company to bring the unconscious man with his car to the Uwibutu general hospital in the regency town of Madi, the construction worker refused to help. Thereupon, the villagers had to drive 10 km to the bus terminal in the town Waghete, where they found a car that brought Kasianus Douw to the Uwibutu Hospital. However, Kasianus died on the way to the hospital. The villagers believed that the victim’s life could have been saved, if the company worker agreed to help them immediately.

The construction worker's behavior caused anger among many villagers, so a group of mostly young villagers walked to the workers' camp and tore down their tents. Around 4.30 pm a truck with fully armed mobile brigade police officers arrived at the location. When the villagers saw the armed police officers they began to throw rocks and sticks at the police officers. According to the villagers, the mobile brigade officers did not attempt to disperse the crowd with warning shots, but immediately opened fire at them. Apart from one Oneibo villager, all victims had had to be hospitalized in the Uwibutu general Hospital, where they received mediacl firts aid. Some of the victims remain in critical condition (Image on the top: military members bringing an injured victim to the hospital; middle image: Yohanes pakage during medical treatment at the general hospiatal: image on the right: Meky Pakage after being shot on the right forearm)

Table of victims during the shooting in Oneibo Village

Nr

Name

Age

Sustained injuries

1

Yulianus Pigai

27 years

died due to bullet wounds in both thighs and the stomach

2

Delian Pekey

20 years

was hit by eight bullets hitting the victim's right cheek, arms, the hand and the left thigh and had to undergo surgery in Jayapura Dok 2 general hospital

3

Yohanes Pakage

29 years

bullet pierced the victim's right knee

4

Albertus Mote

11 years

bullet pierced the victim's waist

5

Esebius Pakage

14 years

bullet wound in both forearms

6

Yunior Pakage

15 years

bullet wounds on the right ankle and left foot

7

Amos Pakage

27 years

bullet wound on the right leg (no treatment at the hospital)

8

Marius Dogopia

21 years

bullet wound in both buttocks

9

Penias Pakage

14 years

bullet wound on the left fore arm

10

Titus Pekey

30 years

bullet wound on the calf

11

Meky Pakage

14 years

bullet wound on the right forearm

12

Martinus Pekey

51 years

Died due to shock after witnessing the shooting while he was resting in his house